The invention relates to at least two products having matching unique indicia, and the utilization of those products in a manner that is fun and intriguing and/or can establish personal relationships.
People everywhere around the globe love ways to reach others whom they have never met before in fun and fateful ways. That is why chat rooms on the Internet have become so popular. It is a chance for the world to be connected by a common thread. The invention utilizes this concept, but it brings with it a sense of intrigue and excitement.
According to the broadest aspect of the present invention there are provided at least two products having unique matching indicia. There can be only two products with that unique matching indicia, one product designated as a female product and the other as a male product. The unique matching indicia may comprise alpha numeric indicia, and also the product may have theme indicia associated therewith. The theme indicia would relate to an element of personality, interest, or other personal attribute so that two or more individuals finding products with the matching unique indicia would likely have certain elements in common. While in the preferred embodiment there are only two products having the unique matching indicia, in other embodiments there may be a plurality of products with the unique matching indicia, and perhaps only two, or a smaller number than the plurality, of the products have other even more specific indicia.
The invention also relates to a method of utilizing products as set forth above by offering the products for sale in different geographic locations. The geographic locations can be predetermined in advance, such as in the same city or county, in the same state, in a country as a whole, or worldwide. Alternatively the products may be shipped free of charge as part of a promotion of other goods or services, or as part of a charitable endeavor, research project, or the like.
While the product will be described below with respect to a garment, it is to be understood that almost any product may be utilized in the practice of the invention, although desirably it is a product that would have a personal meaning, recognition, or appeal such as automobiles, or unisex jewelry.
According to one aspect of the present invention the product is a garment like a T-shirt, sold at a store that is present all over America or the world (like The Gap). There are a plurality (e.g. five or so) different colors (or other distinguishing features such as embroidery, stripes, patches, etc.) of the same garment that each has a different meaning related to a personality trait (or personal interest, job, etc.). For example:
Orangexe2x80x94crazy
Whitexe2x80x94simple
Redxe2x80x94passionate
Bluexe2x80x94easy-going
Greenxe2x80x94mysterious
Also, there is a number (indicia) on the clothing item. Each number (indicia) would only be printed in a limited amount. It could be that only two garments would be printed with the same number on it, or possibly there could be the same number printed on each of the five or six colors of the clothing item, or on a whole range of sizes of the same color (e.g. S, M, L, XL). One garment is labeled xe2x80x9cFxe2x80x9d or the like for female and one is labeled xe2x80x9cMxe2x80x9d or the like for male. These clothing items are sent to stores all over, and then a male or female would buy one. The next step is to find the other person/people with the same number (matching unique indicia), e.g. as part of a singles matching game.
For example, web sites could be used to find the other person with the same number, and people would be compelled to buy the garments just because it could lead them to that certain someone that they have been looking for. The way the web site works is simple. On a tag of the purchased clothing item there is a web site address and a special log-in number. When one goes to the web site, she or he types in her or his number and all of the information about her or him (i.e. name, address, e-mail, etc.). Then the computer will search for the other person/people with the matching number. If found, their e-mail address will be sent to the purchaser. If not found, a box will appear that says xe2x80x9ctry again next weekxe2x80x9d, or possibly it will say xe2x80x9cWhen your match has been found an e-mail will notify you.xe2x80x9d
Another form the method of utilization could take is a chat room on the web site. Certain personality colors could meet to chat, or people between certain number categories could be grouped together. Anything could be done to try to bring people closer together. It would be seen more as a xe2x80x9cglobal-village-meeting-peoplexe2x80x9d game than a dating game because of the potential age differences of the consumers.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a plurality of substantially identical products, at least two of the products, but less than all of the products, having unique matching indicia. The term xe2x80x98substantially identicalxe2x80x9d means that the products are of the same type, construction, and basic style, but they may differ in size and/or in features that make them more attractive to male and female users. In a preferred embodiment the at least two products having unique matching indicia consist of only two products, and there is provided a plurality of the substantially identical products in sets of two products having unique matching indicia, with the unique matching indicia differing from set to set. Most desirably, the two products having unique matching indicia comprise garments (such as T-shirts) which have the same or a predetermined different size.
Desirably, one of the two garments having unique matching indicia has additional female-indicating indicia while the other of the two garments has additional male-indicating indicia. Also, the two garments with unique matching indicia have common theme indicia associated therewith that relates to a personality trait, personal interest, or job of potential selectors of the products; for example the common theme indicia comprises a common color, and wherein a plurality of the substantially identical products aside from the two garments with unique matching indicia also have the common color. For example the colors may relate to personality traits, and include orange, white, red, blue, and green.
To facilitate the purchaser or other securer of one of the two products (e. g. garments) of the set locating the other, there preferably also is web site and password indicia associated with each of the garments so that holders of the garments with unique common indicia may locate each other using a global computer network. The web site and password indicia may be provided on a hang tag, with or without a confidentiality cover, attached to both of the garments, and the indicia associated with the hang tag or garment must be read at a store purchasing area in order to activate the password. Typically, one of each set of products with unique matching indicia is located in a retail store geographically remote from the other of each set of products.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a matching game comprising: a) delivering at least two products with unique matching indicia to various remote geographic locations and making the products available for purchase or other acquisition at those locations; and b) providing a mechanism to allow purchasers or other securers of the products with unique matching indicia to locate each other. In the method preferably b) is practiced by associating with the products web site indicia for a global computer network, and password indicia, and the method may further comprise c) activating the password indicia for use at the time or purchase or other securing of the products.
In the matching game a) may be practiced by delivering as the at least two products only two products having unique matching indicia in a plurality of sets of only two products having unique matching indicia, the unique matching indicia differing from set to set. Also, a) may be further practiced by delivering one of the two products (e. g. garments) of each set having unique matching indicia with additional female-indicating indicia while the other of the two products of each set has additional male-indicating indicia, and a) may also be further practiced by delivering as the products of each set products that have common theme indicia associated therewith that relates to a personality trait, personal interest, or job of potential purchasers or other selectors of the products.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple product labeling system that may be used to play a matching game over a global computer network, or the like. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.